Apparatus for the automatic insertion of pins in a cylinder for a hosiery machine

ABSTRACT

A machine is disclosed for introducing automatically pins into a control cylinder of a hosiery machine in order to obtain a preselected fabric pattern. A magazine contains a number of pins and can be moved in synchronism with the control cylinder so as to bring a row of holes of the magazine in registry with a generating line of the cylinder which also has perforations. Pushing means push selected pins from the magazine into the cylinder. The overall control is by means of a punched card or perforated tape and a set of properly positioned electromagnets.

United States Patent [191 Piro [ 1 Oct. 14, 1975 APPARATUS FOR THEAUTOMATIC INSERTION OF PINS IN A CYLINDER FOR A I-IOSIERY MACHINE [75]Inventor: Mario Piro, Genova, Italy [73] Assignee: Nuova San GiorgioS.p.A.,

Genova-Sestri, Italy [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 426,700

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 22, 1972 Italy 33562/72 [52]US. Cl 66/1 R; 29/208 C; 29/211 R; 66/50 B [51] Int. Cl. D04B 37/04 [58]Field of Search 66/1 R, 50 B; 29/211 R, 29/208 C, 208 R, 208 F [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,747,191 7/1973 Kuhn et a1.29/211 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,130,108 5/1962 Germany66/50 B 1,961,086 l/197l Germany 66/1 R OTHER PUBLICATIONS The HosieryTrade Journal, Vol. 79, No. 942, June 1972, pp. 112-114.

Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney, Agent, or FirmDiller,Brown, Ramik & Wight [57] ABSTRACT A machine is disclosed forintroducing automatically pins into a control cylinder of a hosierymachine in order to obtain a preselected fabric pattern. A magazinecontains a number of pins and can be moved in synchronism with thecontrol cylinder so as to bring a row of holes of the magazine inregistry with a generating line of the cylinder which also hasperforations. Pushing means push selected pins from the magazine intothe cylinder. The overall control is by means of a punched card orperforated tape and a set of properly positioned electromagnets.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet 2 of43,911,695

Sheet 3 of 4 US. Patent 0a. 14, 1975 U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 4of4 3,911,695

APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC INSERTION OF PINS IN A CYLINDER FOR AI-IOSIERY MACHINE This invention relates to an apparatus adapted toequip the control cylinders of hosiery machines with radial projections,or pins, which, through appropriate leverages, drive the needles.

It is known that hosiery machines make fabrics in which the patterns arevaried at will by appropriately controlling in suitable stages, theoperation, in the formation of the loop, of needles which carry thethreads of the several colours.

In the hosiery machines of the Jacquard type it is known to control theneedle movement by means of -a plurality of small cylinders which arerotated in attunement with the needle-carrying cylinder and arranged onthe periphery of the latter.

These small cylinders carry, inserted therein and radially projectingtherefrom, pins which act on the butts of the parts situated beneath theneedles for controlling the needles through linkages of various kinds.

The arrangement of the pins defines the fabric pattern.

In the hosiery machines as currently used, the pincarrying smallcylinders have each a high number of pins; the operation of introducingthe pins which are necessary in the relative seatings is extremelycumbersome; the time required by trained workers has a considerableinfluence on the cost of the product, even in the production on a notreduced scale.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine which is capable ofmechanizing the operation of introducing the pins required of a certaindetermined fabric pattern in the control small cylinders of control of ahosiery machine.

Thus, much shorter times can be obtained when putting the machine inreadiness for operation, the economical advantage being apparent.

The substantial reduction of the time which is required to equip thesmall cylinders with the control projections of the needles makes thuseconomically acceptable the production of not great quantities offabric; it becomes thus possible to satisfy the demand as originated bythe market for a certain type of fabric in a more gradual manner.

To this end, according to the invention, it has been envisaged toprovide a machine for automatically inserting the pins in a smallcylinder for hosiery machines, having a plurality of sets of seatings asdistributed along generating lines of the small cylinder, characterizedby comprising a pin-holding magazine having a plurality of sets of pinsarranged on rows corresponding to said generating lines and which can becontrolled so as to be moved stepwise in attunement with said smallcylinder, the latter being rotatable about its own axis, so as to bringat each step a set of seatings in alignment with a set of pins, aplurality of pushers each adapted to push one of said pins as containedin a set of pins of the magazine into the corresponding seating of theseatings set, and control means for controlling each of said pushers inattunement with the stepwise movement of said magazine and said smallcylinder.

The foregoing and other features, objects and advantages of theinvention will become more clearly apparent from a scrutiny of thedetailed description which follows, which shows, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, an exemplary embodiment of the inventionconcerned.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a machine constructed according tothe invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view partly in section, showing the portion of themachine which relates to the device proper for introducing the pins inthe small cylinder.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2,and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view which diagrammatically shows thearrangement of the electromagnets and the relative control levers forinserting the pins in the small cylinder.

Having now initial reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the machine inquestion comprises, in combination: a frame 1 which is adapted to carrya punched card 2, a photoelectric readout device 3 which reads the card2 out by means of light from a light source (not shown) passing throughapertures in the card 2 of the readout device, four sets 4, 5, 6 and 7of conventional elastic return electromagnets which are operativelyconnected to the readout device 3 through a bundle of electric cables 65for actuation in accordance with the energization of the readout deviceand respectively actuating the levers 8, 9, l0 and 11 (FIG. 4), a set ofrods 56 operatively connected to the levers 8, 9, l0 and 11 and adaptedto close and/or open a row of holes or seatings 57 on the cylinder 12and a magazine 13 which holds pins 14 to be introduced into said holes57.

The frame 1 and the magazine 13 can be translated vertically whereas thecylinder 12 is rotatable in the clockwise direction; the drive istransferred to the latter members by a reducing gear motor 15 which hasan output shaft 16 to which there are keyed a gear 17 and an end pawl18. The pawl 18 in its rotation cooperates with a gear 19 keyed to ashaft 20 and the gear 19 is cooperating with a pawl or positioning tooth21 as mounted on a lever 22 pivoted at 23 to a shaft 24; a tractivespring 29 keeps the tooth 21 in mesh with the gear 19.

To the shaft 20 there are keyed, moreover, a pinion 25 which meshes witha rack 27 of the frame 1, and two oppositely mounted pinions 26 whichmesh with the relative racks 28 of the magazine 13 (FIG. 2).

The gear 17 is connected, through a driving chain 30, to a gear 31 keyedto either end of a shaft 32 rotatable on journals 33. The shaft 32carries two eccentrics 34 and their collars 35 which are pivoted at 36to a slider 37 which can be reciprocated between guideways 78. Theslider 37 carries a plurality of pushers 38 which are adapted to entercorresponding holes 39 on one of the rows of holes of the magazine 13,said holes housing a pin 14 each. Each pusher 38 is housed in a freelyguided way in the slider 37 and the output stroke is limited by themovement of the chamber 72 of'a header 71 as pushed by a compressedspring 73. The inactive position of the pusher is thus protruding fromthe slider.

The shaft 32 carries, moreover, on the end away of the gear 31, a cam 40which cooperates with cam follower 41 as idly mounted on a lever 42; thelever 42 has an end pivoted on a pin 43 and the opposite end pivoted at44 to one end of an arm 45. At the other end of the arm 45 is pivoted at46 a pawl 47 of a pawl and ratchet mechanism whose ratchet 48 is keyedto a shaft 49 carrying the cylinder 12. The arm 45 is slidably mountedon a pin 66 which is inserted in a longitudinal slot 67 of the arm: apull spring 68 tends to bring constantly the arm 45 towards the positionshown in FIG. 3. The shaft 49, in addition, carries a gear 50 whichcooperates with a positioning tooth 51 mounted on a lever 52; the latteris pivoted to a shaft 53. A pull spring 54 keeps the tooth 51 inengagement with the gear 50.

The photoelectric readout device 3 has, distributed along four rows,photocells 55 which control, each, an electromagnet of the four sets ofelectromagnets 4, 5, 6 and 7: the photocells 55 are as many as there areelectormagnets, which in the example shown are thirty six, nine per eachset.

As clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the electromagnets 4, 5, 6and 7 have, each, a respective armature 58, 59, 60 and 61 which arepivoted, respectively, to one end of the relative levers 8, 9, l and 11which are rotatable about a single axle 62. The levers 9 and lO'are bellcrank levers, whereas the levers 8, 11 are straight levers. Thisdifferent shape of the levers is dictated by reasons of arrangement ofparts in order to provide a comparatively compact structure.

The free end of each lever 8, 9, l0 and 11 acts in a cavity 63 as formedat the lower end of the rods 56. The rods 56 are controlled by saidlevers so as to be vertically displaced on the wall of the magazine 13to open and/or close with their top end 64 the holes 57 of the cylinder12 and also the holes 39 of the magazine 13. The translation of the rods56 is guided by a guiding straddle 65.

The operation of the machine as described above is as follows.

At every turn of the pawl 18, the gear 19 is stepped forward through atooth and via the shaft 20, the pinion 25 and the pinions 26, causes theframe 1 and simultaneously the magazine 13 to go through a step upwards.The ratio between the teeth of the gear 19 and the pinions 25 and 26 isso calculated that for each step forward of one tooth of the gear 19there corresponds'a translation of the frame 1 equal to four horizontalrows of the punched card 2 and a translation of the magazine 13 equal toone horizontal row of the holes 39. For each translation of the frame 2,consequently, the four rows of photocells 55 of the readout device 3read four rows of the punched card 2 and deliver at the output controlsignals which are a function of the arrangement of the punched holes ofthe card as corresponding to the fabric pattern which is desired toobtain. These control signals cause the energization of a part of theelectromagnets 4, 5, 6 and 7 which, via their respective armatures 58,59, 60 and 61 cause an anticlockwise oscillation about the axle 62 ofthe levers 8, 9, and 11 relating thereto. The oscillation of theselevers causes the depression of the rods 56 connected thereto whichuncover the holes 39 and 57, respectively, of the magazine l3 and thesmall cylinder 12. Consequently, the pins 14 housed in the uncoveredholes 39 will be introduced into the holes 57 which correspond, by theadvancement of the plungers 38 as mounted on the slider 37. As a matterof fact the slider 37 at each step of the frame 1 and of the magazine 13makes a complete reciprocation as controlled by the eccentrics 34 whichare rotated in attunement with the pawl 18. As soon as a pusher 38 actson a pin corresponding to a hole 57 closed by a rod 56, it goesbackwards and compresses the spring 73.

As the pins 14 have been introduced in the holes 57 of the cylinder 12,the latter is rotated through one step in attunement with thetranslation of the frame 1 and the magazine 13, so as to bring the nextrow of holes 57 in registry with the next row of holes 39 for a furtheroperative stage. The rotation through one step of the cylinder 12 takespace by the agency of the cam 40 (FIG. 3) which causes the lever 42 tobe swung anticlockwise for pushing leftwards the arm 45. Such a movementof the arm 45 causes, through the pawl 47, the advance through one stepof the ratchet 48 and consequently of the cylinder 12 attached thereto.

In the drawings, and more particularly in FIG. 1, for the sake ofclarity, there have not been shown the framing of the machine and itssupporting shoulders for the rotary shafts and with the guides for theframe 1 and the magazine 13; the guides of the latter are shown,instead, in FIG. 2 where they have been indicated at 66.

It is apparent that the machine accordingto the invention permits tointroduce the pins which control the movement of the needles in theircylinders in an extremely quick manner and completely automaticallywithout any necessity of employing trained personnel.

Another significant advantage is the possiblity of easily repeating thesame fabric pattern also after a certain lapse of time, by using theavailable punched cards again; the punched card can be prepared by anymechanographical center.

Although there has been described and illustrated a specific embodimentof the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that a fewmodifications and changes can be introduced therein without departingfrom the scope of the invention as such; for example the readout devicecould also be a mechanical one and read a different number of rows ofthe punched card; the latter could also be a perforated tape.

What I claim is:

l. A pin inserting machine for a cylinder for a hosiery machine, saidcylinder having a plurality of rows of pin receiving holes arrangedalong generating lines of the cylinder, said machine comprising supportmeans for rotatably supporting the cylinder, a pinholding magazineequipped with a plurality of rows of pins, first drive means for movingstepwise synchronously the magazine and the cylinder so as to bring atevery step of movement a different row of pins of the magazine inalignment with a different row of holes of the cylinder, a row ofpushers, means supporting said pushers for alignment with a row of pinsin said magazine at a time when the row of pins are aligned with a rowof holes in the cylinder, second drive means for reciprocating saidpushers in synchronism with the movement of the magazine and thecylinder so as to push respective ones of the pins of the aligned row ofpins of the magazine into corresponding holes of the aligned row ofseatings of the cylinder, closing means for closing the aligned holes ofthe cylinder,,and control means for controlling the translation ofselected ones of said closing means according to a predetermined programand in synchronism with the movement of said magazine, the cylinder andsaid pushers.

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said controlmeans includes a photoelectric readout device adapted to read a punchedmember.

3. A machine according to claim 2 characterized in that said closingmeans includes a plurality of rods controlled to be translated betweenthe magazine and the cylinder by said photoelectric readout devicethrough a set of electromagnets and a plurality of leverages.

4. A machine according to claim 1 together with means for actuating saidfirst drive means and said second drive means in sequence wherein saidmagazine and the cylinder are first shifted to a new position and saidcontrol means actuated and then said pushers are actuated.

5. A machine 'according to claim 4 wherein the means for actuating saidfirst and second drive means is a single means.

6. A machine according to claim 1 wherein there is a single actuator forsaid first and second drive means.

7. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said closing means includes aclosing member for each hole of a row of said rows of holes in thecylinder, said control means includes plural sets of actuators with theactuators of said sets being connected to said closing members inalternating relation; and said control means includes a punched controlmember having control apertures in rows, each row of control aperturescontrolling a set of said actuators, third drive means for moving saidcontrol member in unison with said magazine at rate to advance saidcontrol member a number of aperture rows equal to the number of actuatorsets for the movement of a single pin row of said magazine.

8. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said first drive meansincludes a rotating pinion for advancing said magazine and areciprocating pawl for advancing said cylinder support means.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said first drive meansincludes a rotatable shaft, first cam means on said rotatable shaft fordriving said reciprocating pawl, and said second drive means including asecond cam means on said rotatable shaft, said first and second cammeans being out of phase for actuating said pushers only when saidcylinder support means are stationary.

10. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said means supporting saidpushers includes a slider supporting said pushers, and resilient meansmount each pusher in said slider for movement relative to said slider inthe event a corresponding closing means blocks the movement of anassociated pin.

1. A pin inserting machine for a cylinder for a hosiery machine, saidcylinder having a plurality of rows of pin receiving holes arrangedalong generating lines of the cylinder, said machine comprising supportmeans for rotatably supporting the cylinder, a pinholding magazineequipped with a plurality of rows of pins, first drive means for movingstepwise synchronously the magazine and the cylinder so as to bring atevery step of movement a different row of pins of the magazine inalignment with a different row of holes of the cylinder, a row ofpushers, means supporting said pushers for alignment with a row of pinsin said magazine at a time when the row of pins are aligned with a rowof holes in the cylinder, second drive means for reciprocating saidpushers in synchronism with the movement of the magazine and thecylinder so as to push respective ones of the pins of the aligned row ofpins of the magazine into corresponding holes of the aligned row ofseatings of the cylinder, closing means for closing the aligned holes ofthe cylinder, and control means for controlling the translation ofselected ones of said closing means according to a predetermined programand in synchronism with the movement of said magazine, the cylinder andsaid pushers.
 2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in thatsaid control means includes a photoelectric readout device adapted toread a punched member.
 3. A machine according to claim 2 characterizedin that said closing means includes a plurality of rods controlled to betranslated between the magazine and the cylinder by said photoelectricreadout device through a set of electromagnets and a plurality ofleverages.
 4. A machine according to claim 1 together with means foractuating said first drive means and said second drive means in sequencewherein said magazine and the cylinder are first shifted to a newposition and said control means actuated and then said pushers areactuated.
 5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein the means foractuating said first and second drive means is a single means.
 6. Amachine according to claim 1 wherein there is a single actuator for saidfirst and second drive means.
 7. A machine according to claim 1 whereinsaid closing means includes a closing member for each hole of a row ofsaid rows of holes in the cylinder, said control means includes pluralsets of actuators with the actuators of said sets being connected tosaid closing members in alternating relation; and said control meansincludes a punched control member having control apertures in rows, eachrow of control apertures controlling a set of said actuators, thirddrive means for moving said control member in unison with said magazineat rate to advance said control member a number of aperture rows equalto the number of actuator sets for the movement of a single pIn row ofsaid magazine.
 8. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said firstdrive means includes a rotating pinion for advancing said magazine and areciprocating pawl for advancing said cylinder support means.
 9. Amachine according to claim 8 wherein said first drive means includes arotatable shaft, first cam means on said rotatable shaft for drivingsaid reciprocating pawl, and said second drive means including a secondcam means on said rotatable shaft, said first and second cam means beingout of phase for actuating said pushers only when said cylinder supportmeans are stationary.
 10. A machine according to claim 1 wherein saidmeans supporting said pushers includes a slider supporting said pushers,and resilient means mount each pusher in said slider for movementrelative to said slider in the event a corresponding closing meansblocks the movement of an associated pin.